There are several names for the stubborn fat that accumulates around one's midsection. But besides being annoying, the excess flab can be dangerous.

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People who have a normal body mass index but carry weight around their midsections have the highest risk of death compared to overweight or obese people who carry weight elsewhere, a study from England-based Loughborough University concluded on Wednesday.

Professors from Loughborough's School of Sport, Health and Exercise Sciences tracked 42,702 subjects each year for a decade using England's Health Survey and Scotland's Health Survey. They wanted to see if a "large scale analysis" would show similar results to previous studies that confirmed that dangers of belly fat.

Research from the Mayo Clinic in 2011 found that excess weight carried in the midsection could lead to stroke, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Subjects were divided into several groups - those with normal weight; normal weight with central obesity; overweight; overweight with central obesity; obese; or obese with central obesity. The divisions were based on BMI and waist-to-hip ratio.

When compared to normal weight subjects without central obesity, obese and normal weight subjects with central obesity were at risk of "all-cause mortality."

"Our research does back up the findings of previous smaller scale studies which show normal weight people with central obesity are at increased risk for all-cause mortality," said Professor Mark Hamer. "It is yet further evidence that even if you are within a 'healthy' BMI range but you carry weight around your stomach your health is still at risk."